Legend of the Exile
Chapter 8: Sorrowful Nightfall
An false demon born, soulless and hungry
Casts the fog of despair, cold and dreary
The light's power begins to diminish away
Casting forth dead spirits unto a new day
Casts the fog of despair, cold and dreary
The light's power begins to diminish away
Casting forth dead spirits unto a new day
"So, you'll be leaving in the morning?" asked Lyther, frowning at Lute. All the Pokemon- Rush, Ferricia, Lute, Klesr, Elias, Shanala, Sparktail, Thalia, Lyther, Dantor, Trident, and Kyria- were gathered around the Lucarios' campfire tonight, sharing what little scant food the Lucarios found.
The longhorned Absol nodded grimly. "It's not doing me, or any of my followers, any good to just wait here forever," said Lute, looking to Klesr. "We're gonna keep looking for our friends. Whatever it takes."
Blinking, Sparktail glanced to Elias, but the warrior wasn't listening. "To think that my pendant could have been a piece of the Adamant Orb itself," whispered the Sceptile, staring down at his pendant. "He must have scattered the shards far and wide, across time itself..."
They were silent for a while, watching the fire burn. "Oh! By the way, Rush, how'd you guys find us?" asked Thalia, glancing to the Swampert. Shanala looked less than pleased with the new topic.
"Hoho! Well, that's a long story," rumbled Rushing River, his voice booming around the fire. Blinking, the others one-by-one looked up to the Swampert's powerful but kind features-- he'd always been Slick's favorite and a natural leader. "Huh... okay, where to start."
"Why don't you start with the beginning," suggested Thalia. The Lucario brothers and the Swordians all snorted with laughter, while the Swampert rolled his eyes good naturedly.
"So after you three got captured, I ran outside to Ferricia and told her what happened," said the Swampert. "We searched that damn mouountain high and low for you people. Nothing. Then we fly outside, and Ferricia cries out. 'Rush, look! In the sea!' I look down, and I squint hard, and I see all these pink and brown things waay down in the brine. I tell her, 'Ferricia, you've got some damn good eyes there. Let's follow them!'"
"'Pink and brown things in the sea?'" echoed Trident, looking up from the cooking spit to listen to Rush's story; Sparktail linked and glanced to the elder Lucario, and was startled by the grave expression on his features. "And pray tell, what might those 'pink-and-brown things' be?"
"They were Gastrodon herds of the Exile," replied Ferricia in her stately voice, dipping her slender beak and spreading out her wings momentarily. "It is my opinion that they were deployed to Hoenn in order to gather captives and transport them to special holding facilities here in the Sinnoh region."
Holding facilities. Sparktail thought back to the cold darkness of Turnback Cave, the horrific stench, the fear of death, the haggard look on Thalia's face. Swallowing, he wiped his eyes as if to scrape away the memories. Shanala looked pensive for a moment; but she said nothing.
"That reminds me," said the Swampert, reaching for a black backpack on Ferricia's back. "We decided to search Slick's bag for food, but I guess it rained or something, because most of the stuff in here's soaked. Thalia, here's your Miracle Seed, if you want it." Her ears perking up as the Swampert tossed it to her, Thalia caught the seed with a 'Lea!'.
"Lyther, your pendant's here," said Ferricia, extracting a Mystic Water pendant with her beak and tossing it to the Lucario, who caught it and quickly placed the cord around his neck. The Skarmory then opened up a side pocket and extracted several Poke Balls. "I thought maybe we could all sleep in the Poke Balls, but I'm wary of touching technology that I don't understand."
Blinking, Sparktail rummaged through Slick's backpack himself, but found nothing useful or interesting aside from a Light Ball that he'd used as a Pikachu. He knew the crystal marble shouldn't have any effect on him now, but he quietly took it anyway.
"Anyway, we followed those damn things all the way to Sinnoh," continued Rush. "But then we got lost in this nasty windstorm, see." He glanced around the others "Frigging nightmare. You guys have no idea- well okay, Ferricia knows better than me, but you guys know what I mean. There's this massive wall of storms that completely surrounds Sinnoh's landmass. It's not like a normal storm, see; it's filled with shadows and screams of death. Giratina's well protected, it seems. Trying to get through that wall of storms is hell."
"We eventually breached the storm, and found the three of you at Hearthome City," said Ferricia, her voice dim. "But the storm had worn me down; and if Mewtwo had not left the battlefield, not one of us would have survived."
The rest of the group was silent again after that. Sparktail looked down at his paws, trying to ignore Thalia's questioning look. After Slick's death, he didn't want anyone worrying over him.
"Sooo... where's Insyte?" asked Rush, looking around the fire. "I mean seriously. Where'd that mutt runn off to, anyway?" Lyther cringed and Sparktail sighed inwardly, which seemed to confuse the Swampert. As Thalia explained what happened Insyte, Sparktail got up and moved over to sit next to Trident, because he was growing tired of hearing about the Umbreon.
The longhorned Absol nodded grimly. "It's not doing me, or any of my followers, any good to just wait here forever," said Lute, looking to Klesr. "We're gonna keep looking for our friends. Whatever it takes."
Blinking, Sparktail glanced to Elias, but the warrior wasn't listening. "To think that my pendant could have been a piece of the Adamant Orb itself," whispered the Sceptile, staring down at his pendant. "He must have scattered the shards far and wide, across time itself..."
They were silent for a while, watching the fire burn. "Oh! By the way, Rush, how'd you guys find us?" asked Thalia, glancing to the Swampert. Shanala looked less than pleased with the new topic.
"Hoho! Well, that's a long story," rumbled Rushing River, his voice booming around the fire. Blinking, the others one-by-one looked up to the Swampert's powerful but kind features-- he'd always been Slick's favorite and a natural leader. "Huh... okay, where to start."
"Why don't you start with the beginning," suggested Thalia. The Lucario brothers and the Swordians all snorted with laughter, while the Swampert rolled his eyes good naturedly.
"So after you three got captured, I ran outside to Ferricia and told her what happened," said the Swampert. "We searched that damn mouountain high and low for you people. Nothing. Then we fly outside, and Ferricia cries out. 'Rush, look! In the sea!' I look down, and I squint hard, and I see all these pink and brown things waay down in the brine. I tell her, 'Ferricia, you've got some damn good eyes there. Let's follow them!'"
"'Pink and brown things in the sea?'" echoed Trident, looking up from the cooking spit to listen to Rush's story; Sparktail linked and glanced to the elder Lucario, and was startled by the grave expression on his features. "And pray tell, what might those 'pink-and-brown things' be?"
"They were Gastrodon herds of the Exile," replied Ferricia in her stately voice, dipping her slender beak and spreading out her wings momentarily. "It is my opinion that they were deployed to Hoenn in order to gather captives and transport them to special holding facilities here in the Sinnoh region."
Holding facilities. Sparktail thought back to the cold darkness of Turnback Cave, the horrific stench, the fear of death, the haggard look on Thalia's face. Swallowing, he wiped his eyes as if to scrape away the memories. Shanala looked pensive for a moment; but she said nothing.
"That reminds me," said the Swampert, reaching for a black backpack on Ferricia's back. "We decided to search Slick's bag for food, but I guess it rained or something, because most of the stuff in here's soaked. Thalia, here's your Miracle Seed, if you want it." Her ears perking up as the Swampert tossed it to her, Thalia caught the seed with a 'Lea!'.
"Lyther, your pendant's here," said Ferricia, extracting a Mystic Water pendant with her beak and tossing it to the Lucario, who caught it and quickly placed the cord around his neck. The Skarmory then opened up a side pocket and extracted several Poke Balls. "I thought maybe we could all sleep in the Poke Balls, but I'm wary of touching technology that I don't understand."
Blinking, Sparktail rummaged through Slick's backpack himself, but found nothing useful or interesting aside from a Light Ball that he'd used as a Pikachu. He knew the crystal marble shouldn't have any effect on him now, but he quietly took it anyway.
"Anyway, we followed those damn things all the way to Sinnoh," continued Rush. "But then we got lost in this nasty windstorm, see." He glanced around the others "Frigging nightmare. You guys have no idea- well okay, Ferricia knows better than me, but you guys know what I mean. There's this massive wall of storms that completely surrounds Sinnoh's landmass. It's not like a normal storm, see; it's filled with shadows and screams of death. Giratina's well protected, it seems. Trying to get through that wall of storms is hell."
"We eventually breached the storm, and found the three of you at Hearthome City," said Ferricia, her voice dim. "But the storm had worn me down; and if Mewtwo had not left the battlefield, not one of us would have survived."
The rest of the group was silent again after that. Sparktail looked down at his paws, trying to ignore Thalia's questioning look. After Slick's death, he didn't want anyone worrying over him.
"Sooo... where's Insyte?" asked Rush, looking around the fire. "I mean seriously. Where'd that mutt runn off to, anyway?" Lyther cringed and Sparktail sighed inwardly, which seemed to confuse the Swampert. As Thalia explained what happened Insyte, Sparktail got up and moved over to sit next to Trident, because he was growing tired of hearing about the Umbreon.
"You know, I never did get much fresh meat," noted Dantor as he lay in the barren dirt beside his two brothers around the fire. "I mean, Poffins and celery with ranch dip was truly delectable stuff, to be sure... but when your own damn trainer won't give you a nice, juicy--"
"Shush you, I'm still trying to figure out a few things," growled Trident, who sat cross-legged on Lyther's other side, gazing intently into the heart of the crackling fire which burned merrily between the three Lucarios. "It's very important stuff... the very nature of the Aura, for one thing."
"The elders always say it's a form of focus and knowledge," said Lyther, thinking back to his lessons two years ago in the forests of Fortree. "The Aura is the manifestation of our fighting spirit, the energy born from pure determination--"
"Yes, yes, fighting spirit, the pure energy of our being, which we then channel into the elementals," sighed Trident, cutting his brother off. "But where does this energy come from? Is it related to the Soulforce that psychic powers come from? And why do humans classify Aura Sphere in the same category technique as martial arts?"
"Obviously they think the best way to fight is to beat the living crap out of their opponents," said Dantor a little too loudly. Startled, Lyther and Trident stared as the middle brother took another swig from his bottle. "Too blind, too dumb. They look at Lucarios and our martial arts. And they think to themselves, oh, Aura must be martial arts too! Idiots"
Lyther remained silent as his two older brothers continued arguing, his thoughts taking him back to his first glimpse of Kyria. He and his two brothers had hidden themselves in fear as they heard the Gardevoir's approaching footsteps. Tenatively, he felt out for the Gardevoir's aura, to feel for malice or kindness, but his senses were obscured by a powerful mental barrier.
The powers of a psychic, such as Kyria, were strongest when turned upon a martial artist such as Trident, and none of the brother had truly understood why. He had been powerless and helpless before the healer's powers, and it was truly a miracle that she had no love for the Exile. If the Aura and the soul were two separate forces, then how could the powers of the soul affect the Aura?
"Perhaps... the Aura is merely an echo of the soul," murmured Lyther, gazing up into the starry skies as he mentally turned over Trident's words. "Maybe the soul creates the Aura, shapes it, defines it... And the soul comes from somewhere else?"
"Probably from Arceus," said Dantor with a yawn, setting down his beer bottle. "They say Arceus made everything in Sinnoh. It's a funny thing. If you define 'existence' as 'after Arceus was born,' then you can say the world before Arceus didn't exist!"
Lyther shifted uncomfortably. "But if Arceus created everything in Sinnoh," began Trident slowly. "Then what created Arceus? Surely... not the planet itself?"
"Shush you, I'm still trying to figure out a few things," growled Trident, who sat cross-legged on Lyther's other side, gazing intently into the heart of the crackling fire which burned merrily between the three Lucarios. "It's very important stuff... the very nature of the Aura, for one thing."
"The elders always say it's a form of focus and knowledge," said Lyther, thinking back to his lessons two years ago in the forests of Fortree. "The Aura is the manifestation of our fighting spirit, the energy born from pure determination--"
"Yes, yes, fighting spirit, the pure energy of our being, which we then channel into the elementals," sighed Trident, cutting his brother off. "But where does this energy come from? Is it related to the Soulforce that psychic powers come from? And why do humans classify Aura Sphere in the same category technique as martial arts?"
"Obviously they think the best way to fight is to beat the living crap out of their opponents," said Dantor a little too loudly. Startled, Lyther and Trident stared as the middle brother took another swig from his bottle. "Too blind, too dumb. They look at Lucarios and our martial arts. And they think to themselves, oh, Aura must be martial arts too! Idiots"
Lyther remained silent as his two older brothers continued arguing, his thoughts taking him back to his first glimpse of Kyria. He and his two brothers had hidden themselves in fear as they heard the Gardevoir's approaching footsteps. Tenatively, he felt out for the Gardevoir's aura, to feel for malice or kindness, but his senses were obscured by a powerful mental barrier.
The powers of a psychic, such as Kyria, were strongest when turned upon a martial artist such as Trident, and none of the brother had truly understood why. He had been powerless and helpless before the healer's powers, and it was truly a miracle that she had no love for the Exile. If the Aura and the soul were two separate forces, then how could the powers of the soul affect the Aura?
"Perhaps... the Aura is merely an echo of the soul," murmured Lyther, gazing up into the starry skies as he mentally turned over Trident's words. "Maybe the soul creates the Aura, shapes it, defines it... And the soul comes from somewhere else?"
"Probably from Arceus," said Dantor with a yawn, setting down his beer bottle. "They say Arceus made everything in Sinnoh. It's a funny thing. If you define 'existence' as 'after Arceus was born,' then you can say the world before Arceus didn't exist!"
Lyther shifted uncomfortably. "But if Arceus created everything in Sinnoh," began Trident slowly. "Then what created Arceus? Surely... not the planet itself?"
"I just don't get the world anymore, Sparktail," sighed Thalia as she and Sparktail settled down for the night. "I mean, well, doesn't everyone have a little good in them? Even the human criminals, the ones on TV. They know when to stop! Even they've got a line or two that they don't cross. But this--" She gestured wide with her paws, out to the ruined Sinnoh wilderness, her eyes wide as if pleading. "It's as if the world's just come to a stop..."
Sparktail remembered how badly the Leafeon had reacted to hearing about Giratina's plans for the world, even though he privately felt anyone would've been able to predict what Shaymin was going to say. He thought about the black smoke rising from the war factory, the teenagers in the streets of Jublife, the coffles of slaves being ushered into the Oreburgh mines-- and he didn't know what to tell her.
One of the tarp's flaps lifted, and Elias poked his head inside. Both of them froze. "My apologies if I was interrupting something," said the Sceptile, eyes gleaming. "I'd like to talk to Sparktail for a moment, please." After a moment, Sparktail got to his paws, and followed the Sceptile outside.
"Sparktail, you and I have known each other for a long time," began the Sceptile as they strolled down the barren field. "After thinking it over, I've decided to leave with Lute and Klesr tomorrow to hunt for their friends. That means tomorrow morning, I won't be here."
Sparktail followed the Sceptile's gaze towards the ominous peak of Mount Coronet in the near distance, a summit ringed by dark violet clouds, shadows blotting out the sun. The Exile was always watching them.
"But there's other concerns," continued Elias. "After Rushing River mentioned that dark wall of storms, I feel it's very important that you and everyone else gets as far away from here as possible."
He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again as the Sceptile stopped and turned to him, holding out his pendant. ""Times are changing faster than ever, and I know this is a lot to absorb," continued Elias gravely. "But no matter what, we've got to do the right thing, even if we don't really understand what we're doing."
The Raichu's jaw dropped as Elias then placed the Adamant Orb necklace on his own neck. "That's why I'm giving you the Adamant Orb, Sparktail," said the warrior, smiling grimly. "Over the next few days, you guys will be hunting for the Lustrous Orb. And because I won't be here to keep this Orb safe, I'm trusting you to watch it for me. Can I count on you, Sparktail?"
The Raichu stared down at the Adamant Orb, a pit of dread forming in his belly. He thought back to what he'd seen and learned today. How danger lurked around every corner. How they needed this crystal to open the Wide Shot, to escape from Sinnoh. How they had to get to the Silver Conclave, where the legendary Lugia waited.
Sparktail took a deep breath. Elias was waiting for a answer. "I'll keep it safe," promised the Raichu quietly. "And... I'll get it to Lugia."
The Sceptile broke into a smile. "That's the spirit," chuckled Elias, patting him on the shoulder and rising to his feet. "If all goes well, then, I'll see you at the Conclave. Have a good night's sleep, Sparktail."
The Raichu watched uneasily as his friend walked off, wondering if he had made the wrong choice. This wasn't just a request for an old friend, after all-- it was everyone's last chance of escape. And all the while, the Exile's prescence loomed above them all.
Sparktail remembered how badly the Leafeon had reacted to hearing about Giratina's plans for the world, even though he privately felt anyone would've been able to predict what Shaymin was going to say. He thought about the black smoke rising from the war factory, the teenagers in the streets of Jublife, the coffles of slaves being ushered into the Oreburgh mines-- and he didn't know what to tell her.
One of the tarp's flaps lifted, and Elias poked his head inside. Both of them froze. "My apologies if I was interrupting something," said the Sceptile, eyes gleaming. "I'd like to talk to Sparktail for a moment, please." After a moment, Sparktail got to his paws, and followed the Sceptile outside.
"Sparktail, you and I have known each other for a long time," began the Sceptile as they strolled down the barren field. "After thinking it over, I've decided to leave with Lute and Klesr tomorrow to hunt for their friends. That means tomorrow morning, I won't be here."
Sparktail followed the Sceptile's gaze towards the ominous peak of Mount Coronet in the near distance, a summit ringed by dark violet clouds, shadows blotting out the sun. The Exile was always watching them.
"But there's other concerns," continued Elias. "After Rushing River mentioned that dark wall of storms, I feel it's very important that you and everyone else gets as far away from here as possible."
He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again as the Sceptile stopped and turned to him, holding out his pendant. ""Times are changing faster than ever, and I know this is a lot to absorb," continued Elias gravely. "But no matter what, we've got to do the right thing, even if we don't really understand what we're doing."
The Raichu's jaw dropped as Elias then placed the Adamant Orb necklace on his own neck. "That's why I'm giving you the Adamant Orb, Sparktail," said the warrior, smiling grimly. "Over the next few days, you guys will be hunting for the Lustrous Orb. And because I won't be here to keep this Orb safe, I'm trusting you to watch it for me. Can I count on you, Sparktail?"
The Raichu stared down at the Adamant Orb, a pit of dread forming in his belly. He thought back to what he'd seen and learned today. How danger lurked around every corner. How they needed this crystal to open the Wide Shot, to escape from Sinnoh. How they had to get to the Silver Conclave, where the legendary Lugia waited.
Sparktail took a deep breath. Elias was waiting for a answer. "I'll keep it safe," promised the Raichu quietly. "And... I'll get it to Lugia."
The Sceptile broke into a smile. "That's the spirit," chuckled Elias, patting him on the shoulder and rising to his feet. "If all goes well, then, I'll see you at the Conclave. Have a good night's sleep, Sparktail."
The Raichu watched uneasily as his friend walked off, wondering if he had made the wrong choice. This wasn't just a request for an old friend, after all-- it was everyone's last chance of escape. And all the while, the Exile's prescence loomed above them all.
Golden lights and rippling grasses, dark tendrils of terror against the piercing eyes and the flashing paws... "Insyte," hissed a bloodcurdling voice, a wave of revulsion seeping deep into the Umbreon's veins as his eyes flickered open in the moonless night. "Awaken, fallen soul."
"Who's there?" shouted out Insyte in alarm as he leapt to his paws, quivering as his gaze frantically swept across his surroundings for some sign of the unknown speaker, staring in disbelief at the unknown landscape around him that had replaced the ancient mausoleum atop the Lost Tower. There was no earth and no sun that the Umbreon could see, the night sky a dark and bloody red above the lifeless gray lands beyond Insyte's vision.
"Face uss, Insyte," rasped the vile voice once more from behind the Umbreon, who whipped around to see a terrible creature shrouded in a tattered pitch-black cloak which rippled even in this windless wasteland. "Yess... gaze into your darkest nightmares!"
The Black Prince had a blood-red collar where its head and neck should have been, flickering with gentle pulsatings of light in mockery of a beating heart, a set of filthy black claws seamlessly adorning each of its terrible hands as its smoke-obscured eyes gazed upon Insyte. Trapped in the steel cage that the monster held lay Celebi's lim form, beaten and bruised.
"You are truly a fascinating creature," cackled Darkrai, a long scythe tightly clasped in his claws as he floated towards the recoiling Umbreon with the captive Celebi, his words taking on an alluring edge. "Ahh, yesss... come here, dear boy! You have no idea how long we have waited to capture this hapless creature... For thisss, you have our eternal thanks..."
The Umbreon stared at Celebi's limp form, then at Darkrai, the words slowly dawning on him. "Let Celebi go," growled Insyte, slinking back into a battle crouch. "I don't know why you're after me, or why you would target me-- but Celebi has nothing to do with this! Let him go!"
"Ah, Insyte, Insyte!" crowed the Black Prince, vanishing and reappearing behind Insyte, clutching Celebi's cage like a wayward spirit's lantern. "Do you not understand what a service I have done for you? What a menace I have taken out of your life? I only ask that you return that favor..."
The fury reached a boiling point as he spun to stare at Darkrai. "You are a thousand times worse," snarled the Umbreon, beginning to paw at the ground, his fur rippling. "You serve Giratina! Giratina killed my master! You control the dungeons that incarcerated me, that confronted me with my enemy!"
He lunged at Darkrai, but the terrible Pokemon vanished and reappeared behind him once more. "Oh! Do not reject my offer so quickly," hissed the lieutenant, a tendril-hand curling about Insyte's leg like black smoke. "This creature, and all of the Four Virtues, would have you become like Lyther, would have you be his sacrificial lamb... The Exile will treasure you dearly..."
"Get away from him, Darkrai," thundered a voice vibrant with clashing forces from above Insyte's shoulder, a voice which sent alarmed chills of deja vu down the Umbreon's spine. His building rage seeming to dissapate in an instant, he glanced up towards the sound of the speaker's voice to see a much older Umbreon beside him, his eyes narrowed to sharpened angles as they affixed Darkrai with a glare. "Get out of here, and don't come back!"
"The darkness isn't yours alone to wield, Lunus," spat Darkrai, the smoke billowing from his neck thickening as the Horsemen rose up into the air, retreating from the two Umbreons. "You shall regret your intervention sorely!" With that, he whirled around and vanished into the monochrome landscape with Celebi.
"All things will die some day," whispered Lunus, gazing at the dissapating streaks of energy where Darkrai had vanished, unperturbed by Insyte's thunderstruck stare as he swiveled around to face the other Umbreon. "But... even Darkrai can control the darkness better than you, Insyte. How could you let the Black Prince take Celebi?"
Insyte blinked in confusion, and then a surge of hot rage welled up. "I manipulate the shadows as I see fit," he snarled, droping into a battle crouch, his fur bristling as he shot a dark pulse at Lunus.
"You cannot even control your temper," said Lunus, his golden rings flashing bright as he sent Insyte's attack rebounding upon him, knocking Insyte off his paws. Spitting furiously, Insyte lunged at Lunus' neck with bared teeth, only for the other Umbreon to swiftly dart under him and leap onto Insyte's back as the younger Umbreon landed, forcing the breath from his lungs as his legs buckled to the gorund.
"You have no stealth, no elegance, no understanding," concluded the elder Umbreon, with the same infuriating tones of calm as he climbed off of Insyte, who glared at his opponent as he slowly rose to his paws. "You should never have become an Umbreon. It was not in your blood."
"Well, there isn't a whole lot I can do about that, is there," hissed Insyte angrily as he stared into Lunus' eyes, hating his calm and collected expression, the way the other Umbreon saw him as a brash youth, how quickly he had been defeated. "Besides! Why didn't you try to save Celebi?!"
"Because Celebi resonates with you, Insyte, and not with me." Whirling around, Lunus gazed back at Insyte coldly. "Don't you understand, boy? If you had just stood by your friends, Celebi would not be in danger like this. If you did not blind yourself, if you remained true, I would not have needed to intervene..." He broke off, scanned the area, then began to pad off. "It is not safe to speak here... Come find me at the Silver Conclave in a week's time, if you are still alive."
"Who's there?" shouted out Insyte in alarm as he leapt to his paws, quivering as his gaze frantically swept across his surroundings for some sign of the unknown speaker, staring in disbelief at the unknown landscape around him that had replaced the ancient mausoleum atop the Lost Tower. There was no earth and no sun that the Umbreon could see, the night sky a dark and bloody red above the lifeless gray lands beyond Insyte's vision.
"Face uss, Insyte," rasped the vile voice once more from behind the Umbreon, who whipped around to see a terrible creature shrouded in a tattered pitch-black cloak which rippled even in this windless wasteland. "Yess... gaze into your darkest nightmares!"
The Black Prince had a blood-red collar where its head and neck should have been, flickering with gentle pulsatings of light in mockery of a beating heart, a set of filthy black claws seamlessly adorning each of its terrible hands as its smoke-obscured eyes gazed upon Insyte. Trapped in the steel cage that the monster held lay Celebi's lim form, beaten and bruised.
"You are truly a fascinating creature," cackled Darkrai, a long scythe tightly clasped in his claws as he floated towards the recoiling Umbreon with the captive Celebi, his words taking on an alluring edge. "Ahh, yesss... come here, dear boy! You have no idea how long we have waited to capture this hapless creature... For thisss, you have our eternal thanks..."
The Umbreon stared at Celebi's limp form, then at Darkrai, the words slowly dawning on him. "Let Celebi go," growled Insyte, slinking back into a battle crouch. "I don't know why you're after me, or why you would target me-- but Celebi has nothing to do with this! Let him go!"
"Ah, Insyte, Insyte!" crowed the Black Prince, vanishing and reappearing behind Insyte, clutching Celebi's cage like a wayward spirit's lantern. "Do you not understand what a service I have done for you? What a menace I have taken out of your life? I only ask that you return that favor..."
The fury reached a boiling point as he spun to stare at Darkrai. "You are a thousand times worse," snarled the Umbreon, beginning to paw at the ground, his fur rippling. "You serve Giratina! Giratina killed my master! You control the dungeons that incarcerated me, that confronted me with my enemy!"
He lunged at Darkrai, but the terrible Pokemon vanished and reappeared behind him once more. "Oh! Do not reject my offer so quickly," hissed the lieutenant, a tendril-hand curling about Insyte's leg like black smoke. "This creature, and all of the Four Virtues, would have you become like Lyther, would have you be his sacrificial lamb... The Exile will treasure you dearly..."
"Get away from him, Darkrai," thundered a voice vibrant with clashing forces from above Insyte's shoulder, a voice which sent alarmed chills of deja vu down the Umbreon's spine. His building rage seeming to dissapate in an instant, he glanced up towards the sound of the speaker's voice to see a much older Umbreon beside him, his eyes narrowed to sharpened angles as they affixed Darkrai with a glare. "Get out of here, and don't come back!"
"The darkness isn't yours alone to wield, Lunus," spat Darkrai, the smoke billowing from his neck thickening as the Horsemen rose up into the air, retreating from the two Umbreons. "You shall regret your intervention sorely!" With that, he whirled around and vanished into the monochrome landscape with Celebi.
"All things will die some day," whispered Lunus, gazing at the dissapating streaks of energy where Darkrai had vanished, unperturbed by Insyte's thunderstruck stare as he swiveled around to face the other Umbreon. "But... even Darkrai can control the darkness better than you, Insyte. How could you let the Black Prince take Celebi?"
Insyte blinked in confusion, and then a surge of hot rage welled up. "I manipulate the shadows as I see fit," he snarled, droping into a battle crouch, his fur bristling as he shot a dark pulse at Lunus.
"You cannot even control your temper," said Lunus, his golden rings flashing bright as he sent Insyte's attack rebounding upon him, knocking Insyte off his paws. Spitting furiously, Insyte lunged at Lunus' neck with bared teeth, only for the other Umbreon to swiftly dart under him and leap onto Insyte's back as the younger Umbreon landed, forcing the breath from his lungs as his legs buckled to the gorund.
"You have no stealth, no elegance, no understanding," concluded the elder Umbreon, with the same infuriating tones of calm as he climbed off of Insyte, who glared at his opponent as he slowly rose to his paws. "You should never have become an Umbreon. It was not in your blood."
"Well, there isn't a whole lot I can do about that, is there," hissed Insyte angrily as he stared into Lunus' eyes, hating his calm and collected expression, the way the other Umbreon saw him as a brash youth, how quickly he had been defeated. "Besides! Why didn't you try to save Celebi?!"
"Because Celebi resonates with you, Insyte, and not with me." Whirling around, Lunus gazed back at Insyte coldly. "Don't you understand, boy? If you had just stood by your friends, Celebi would not be in danger like this. If you did not blind yourself, if you remained true, I would not have needed to intervene..." He broke off, scanned the area, then began to pad off. "It is not safe to speak here... Come find me at the Silver Conclave in a week's time, if you are still alive."
Two figures stood before him in magnificent flowing robes, one in white and indigo, the other in silver and sky-blue. They had washed him and bathed him, and his name was on the lips of the worshipping masses far below the balcony. His wrists were weighed down by heavy golden bracelets and his head tipped with three crowns, his shoulders forced low with a heavy cape of violet and gold.
Masses of jewels and gold were heaped at his paws, but the light reflecting off of the stack of wealth was too bright. He was their god, but he did not want to be. He cried out, he gasped, he sobbed; yet the masses only worshipped him harded, groveled lower. And all the while, the two figures in white and blue smiled.
A voice called out to him from behind, and the figures shouted, for behind him there was only darkness and death and all the innocent people who had been taken by the hell. At their forefront was a fallen man with a navy-and-tan jacket, one hand pressed to a gash upon his chest.
The eyes were empty white, and the mouth was trapped forever in an eternal whisper; but the dead man's hand was outstretched, an accusing finger pointing at him. But most haunting of all were the words on his deceased trainer's lips, unspoken and heartrendingly pleading. "Why? I thought I trusted you. Why? Why did you kill me?"
Masses of jewels and gold were heaped at his paws, but the light reflecting off of the stack of wealth was too bright. He was their god, but he did not want to be. He cried out, he gasped, he sobbed; yet the masses only worshipped him harded, groveled lower. And all the while, the two figures in white and blue smiled.
A voice called out to him from behind, and the figures shouted, for behind him there was only darkness and death and all the innocent people who had been taken by the hell. At their forefront was a fallen man with a navy-and-tan jacket, one hand pressed to a gash upon his chest.
The eyes were empty white, and the mouth was trapped forever in an eternal whisper; but the dead man's hand was outstretched, an accusing finger pointing at him. But most haunting of all were the words on his deceased trainer's lips, unspoken and heartrendingly pleading. "Why? I thought I trusted you. Why? Why did you kill me?"
Careful so as not to wake Rush or Ferricia, the Ninetales slipped out from the shadows, her eyes dark and her paws heavy. Pale moonlight washed over her pelt as she stepped down towards the trees, one leg still throbbing. All was silent in the hours of night.
In the center of the barren field was a shadow, her shoulders hunched over with grief, trembling with sobs in the pensive moonlight. "Oh, my dear Cumulus," whispered Altaria the Herald softly, tears running down her face. "Why, Rayquaza? Why did you do it?"
"Altaria?" called Shanala. At the sound of the Ninetales' voice, Altaria's eyes widened in alarm, and she tried to dry her tears with a puffy cloud-wing. "Are you all right?"
"O-oh! Shanala!" gasped the Herald as she turned around to face the slowly approaching fox, forcing a smile. "I- I didn't realize that you were still awake. Is there something I can help you with?"
The Ninetales studied Altaria, pensive and curious. "I heard you crying, and I came out to investigate," said Shanala as she sat down in the dirt beside the Herald, her voice monotonous but calm. "We have heard many dark tales today... but never thought to ask you for yours."
The Herald's features became pained. "My story?" whispered the Herald, false joy sliding away like raindrops on glass. She took a deep breath, a tear squeezing from her closing eyes. "My story... is like all of your stories..."
"Once, I flew through the sky with ease. In those days, I served Rayquaza, the lord of Hoenn; was the messenger, the in-between, the mediator. I was free-spirited then. I was a link between the secluded ones of the heavens and the the mortals of the world below. I was the Herald, and none could match my authority."
Shanala stared at the ground, drinking in the Herald's tale. "I thought I was invincible," said Altaria sadly. "When I fell in love with Cumulus, I was warned not to become attached to others, but I did not listen. I believed that nothing wrong could everhappen to me." She closed her eyes. "I was wrong..."
In the center of the barren field was a shadow, her shoulders hunched over with grief, trembling with sobs in the pensive moonlight. "Oh, my dear Cumulus," whispered Altaria the Herald softly, tears running down her face. "Why, Rayquaza? Why did you do it?"
"Altaria?" called Shanala. At the sound of the Ninetales' voice, Altaria's eyes widened in alarm, and she tried to dry her tears with a puffy cloud-wing. "Are you all right?"
"O-oh! Shanala!" gasped the Herald as she turned around to face the slowly approaching fox, forcing a smile. "I- I didn't realize that you were still awake. Is there something I can help you with?"
The Ninetales studied Altaria, pensive and curious. "I heard you crying, and I came out to investigate," said Shanala as she sat down in the dirt beside the Herald, her voice monotonous but calm. "We have heard many dark tales today... but never thought to ask you for yours."
The Herald's features became pained. "My story?" whispered the Herald, false joy sliding away like raindrops on glass. She took a deep breath, a tear squeezing from her closing eyes. "My story... is like all of your stories..."
"Once, I flew through the sky with ease. In those days, I served Rayquaza, the lord of Hoenn; was the messenger, the in-between, the mediator. I was free-spirited then. I was a link between the secluded ones of the heavens and the the mortals of the world below. I was the Herald, and none could match my authority."
Shanala stared at the ground, drinking in the Herald's tale. "I thought I was invincible," said Altaria sadly. "When I fell in love with Cumulus, I was warned not to become attached to others, but I did not listen. I believed that nothing wrong could everhappen to me." She closed her eyes. "I was wrong..."
The Herald and her mate Cumulus watched the chaos in Hoenn unfold from above the clouds as Giratina led its forces into Sootopolis. All around them were hundreds of Secludeded ones. All of them saw the clash of the wild Pokemon, Manectrics against Luxrays, Scythers against Kricketunes, Charizards against Infernapes, the swarming Dusclopses, the Rhydons and Ryperiors who crushed humans beneath their feet.
They saw the great chaos within the mountain as Moltres, Zapdos, and Artticuno descended through the great crater into the city below. The clouds around them darkened into thunderheads. They heard the cries of the ruthelessly slaughtered, the murdered innocents. And yet for all of their combined strength and power, the Herald knew that none of them could hope to stand against Giratina's armies.
Cumulus saw smoke rising off in the distance from the peak of Mount Pyre. Giratina flew out of Sootopolis, its powers awakened. The Pokemon of the sky continued to stare in horror as the Exile descended upon the sacred mountain, spilling blood down its slopes. And then, all of them felt a great wave of pure dread, followed by crushing anguish.
Behind them, above the clouds, there was a mighty roar. Every single bird and dragon of the Secluded turned towards the direction of the roar to see Rayquaza, master of the skies, in all his emerald green glory. He opened his blood-red mouth, and released a massive barrage of dragonbreath attacks.
The Herald barely had time to register the massive flares of energy hurtling towards her when Cumulus- sweet, kind, Cumulus- pushed her out of the way, and was struck by the dragonbreath attacks in her stead. "NO! Cumulus!" shrieked the Herald as her mate sank beneath the clouds.
Rayquaza flew over her, spewing fire and death. The hundreds of Secluded Ones scattered quickly, but few could move swiftly enough to outspeed Rayquaza, if any. Swellows and Pidgeots were engulfed by Rayquaza's wrath. The bodies of countless Dragonites and Flygons and Salamences sank beneath the clouds and into the oceans. Blow after blow, the snarling Rayquaza cast the corpses of his loyal subjects into the sea.
As the few survivors flew off, Rayquaza turned his attention to the Herald once more. He opened his mouth, and frost crystals began to form around his jaws. Horrified, she stared up at the mad dragon-lord descending upon her, her wings flailing in terror. "No... my king... please! Stop...!"
Out from the clouds below flew Cumulus, his body wounded and burnt, but his eyes clear and hard "Run, Herald!" shouted the Altaria, glancing back to his mate as he flew at Rayquaza's midsection. "Go... live for me!"
They saw the great chaos within the mountain as Moltres, Zapdos, and Artticuno descended through the great crater into the city below. The clouds around them darkened into thunderheads. They heard the cries of the ruthelessly slaughtered, the murdered innocents. And yet for all of their combined strength and power, the Herald knew that none of them could hope to stand against Giratina's armies.
Cumulus saw smoke rising off in the distance from the peak of Mount Pyre. Giratina flew out of Sootopolis, its powers awakened. The Pokemon of the sky continued to stare in horror as the Exile descended upon the sacred mountain, spilling blood down its slopes. And then, all of them felt a great wave of pure dread, followed by crushing anguish.
Behind them, above the clouds, there was a mighty roar. Every single bird and dragon of the Secluded turned towards the direction of the roar to see Rayquaza, master of the skies, in all his emerald green glory. He opened his blood-red mouth, and released a massive barrage of dragonbreath attacks.
The Herald barely had time to register the massive flares of energy hurtling towards her when Cumulus- sweet, kind, Cumulus- pushed her out of the way, and was struck by the dragonbreath attacks in her stead. "NO! Cumulus!" shrieked the Herald as her mate sank beneath the clouds.
Rayquaza flew over her, spewing fire and death. The hundreds of Secluded Ones scattered quickly, but few could move swiftly enough to outspeed Rayquaza, if any. Swellows and Pidgeots were engulfed by Rayquaza's wrath. The bodies of countless Dragonites and Flygons and Salamences sank beneath the clouds and into the oceans. Blow after blow, the snarling Rayquaza cast the corpses of his loyal subjects into the sea.
As the few survivors flew off, Rayquaza turned his attention to the Herald once more. He opened his mouth, and frost crystals began to form around his jaws. Horrified, she stared up at the mad dragon-lord descending upon her, her wings flailing in terror. "No... my king... please! Stop...!"
Out from the clouds below flew Cumulus, his body wounded and burnt, but his eyes clear and hard "Run, Herald!" shouted the Altaria, glancing back to his mate as he flew at Rayquaza's midsection. "Go... live for me!"
"I obeyed Cumulus, and flew off. But as I fled, I looked back to see if Cumulus was following me close behind..." Altaria closed her eyes, her heart heavy from that terrible night. "And I saw my mate for the very last time, as Rayquaza engulfed him
"So many deaths in a single night," said Shanala, staring down at her paws as the Herald wept. "So many lives wiped out; their stories untold..." She closed her eyes. "Altaria... I'm truly sorry to hear about Cumulus."
The Herald nodded slowly, drying her tears on her wings. "It isn't always... so painful," said the Altaria shakily "So many times, I wished that I could have died instead of him. So many times... I just wanted to die. So that I could see him again..."
At once, Shanala glanced up to Altaria, alarmed. "But... you're still here," said the Ninetales, staring at the Herald. "Then... you must have found something. Something that made life meaningful again..."
"Perhaps, perhaps not," said Altaria, smiling faintly. "One night, Celebi sought me out, asking for my help. He brought me before the other Virtues, and they told me how Giratina had caused Rayquaza's madness. They told me that Cumulus had given me a gift by saving me. That he died to protect me. And that I should use that gift wisely. And so, I promised to help them, in return for their protection."
The Ninetales dipped her head. "I... I should go," said Shanala, rising to her paws, glancing around the darkened camp. "The others will notice if I do not sleep near them..." She patted Altaria with a tail. "If you are feeling better... then good night, Altaria."
The Herald's eyes fell. "One last thing," said Altaria softly. "Shanala... my mission was to watch over the Pokemon trained by a Elite of Hoenn. When I saw you, I had the sense that you might be like the others. That you might have been trained by the same human. Slick Silversky. Is that right?"
The Ninetales paused in her step. Sighing, she looked back at Altaria. "Yes, Herald. I, too, was once Slick's."
"So many deaths in a single night," said Shanala, staring down at her paws as the Herald wept. "So many lives wiped out; their stories untold..." She closed her eyes. "Altaria... I'm truly sorry to hear about Cumulus."
The Herald nodded slowly, drying her tears on her wings. "It isn't always... so painful," said the Altaria shakily "So many times, I wished that I could have died instead of him. So many times... I just wanted to die. So that I could see him again..."
At once, Shanala glanced up to Altaria, alarmed. "But... you're still here," said the Ninetales, staring at the Herald. "Then... you must have found something. Something that made life meaningful again..."
"Perhaps, perhaps not," said Altaria, smiling faintly. "One night, Celebi sought me out, asking for my help. He brought me before the other Virtues, and they told me how Giratina had caused Rayquaza's madness. They told me that Cumulus had given me a gift by saving me. That he died to protect me. And that I should use that gift wisely. And so, I promised to help them, in return for their protection."
The Ninetales dipped her head. "I... I should go," said Shanala, rising to her paws, glancing around the darkened camp. "The others will notice if I do not sleep near them..." She patted Altaria with a tail. "If you are feeling better... then good night, Altaria."
The Herald's eyes fell. "One last thing," said Altaria softly. "Shanala... my mission was to watch over the Pokemon trained by a Elite of Hoenn. When I saw you, I had the sense that you might be like the others. That you might have been trained by the same human. Slick Silversky. Is that right?"
The Ninetales paused in her step. Sighing, she looked back at Altaria. "Yes, Herald. I, too, was once Slick's."